VIENNA, June 13 (Xinhuanet) - Japanese ambassador Yukiya Takasu here on Monday unexpectedly blocked the re-election of ElBaradei as head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), citing merely procedural reasons.

    The block came as the United Nations nuclear watchdog opened aweek-long meeting which is expected to re-elect Mohamed ElBaradei as its chief after a surprise folding of US opposition to the former Egyptian diplomat.

    Diplomats said that the 35-nation board of governors of the IAEA was forced into a deadlock since unanimous consensus is normally required for the running of the IAEA.

    The IAEA was expected to approve ElBaradei unanimously by consensus before Japan's objection.

    But a Western diplomat said Japan's rejection will not necessarily stop Elbaradei from winning the post as he is ready toaccept a third term after the US last week dropped its opposition to the appointment.

    The ballot is technically on the agenda for later in the week. However, Chairwoman of the IAEA, Ingrid Holl from Canada, proposedto cast a vote at the beginning of the board meeting.

    Takasu said he does not oppose the re-election of ElBaradei butthe meeting procedure should be respected.

    A Western diplomat said Japan was getting even with Egypt for blocking agenda items at a non-proliferation conference in New York last month, specifically a resolution on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's nuclear program which Japan had pushed and which never got out of committee.

    ElBaradei, 62, joined the IAEA in 1984 and held a series of high-level policy positions in the organization before becoming its Director General in 1997. Enditem